Phetdavanh broke his leg in the 85th minute and received a red card during Laos' 1-4 loss to Malaysia in the second match of Group B at SEA Games 33 on the afternoon of 6/12. The Laotian captain was then taken to the hospital for treatment and had his injury splinted. This morning, he was discharged and returned home with the Laotian players as their team had been eliminated.

Sharing a hotel with Laos, this morning, members of the Vietnamese team visited, encouraged, and gave Phetdavanh 300 USD. "We deeply sympathize and share Phetdavanh's pain. The team wants to send a small gesture of affection to him, hoping for his swift recovery," said center-back Nguyen Nhat Minh before the afternoon training session on 7/12.

Vietnamese players visit Phetdavanh (on crutches) before Laos departs Thailand for home. Photo: FBNV

Vietnamese players visit Phetdavanh (on crutches) before Laos departs Thailand for home. Photo: FBNV

Phetdavanh later posted photos with some visiting U22 Vietnam members on his personal page. He wrote, "Thank you for the kindness of the Vietnamese team," and added an emotional emoji.

In Group B, after two losses, Laos has been eliminated. In the final match on 11/12, Vietnam and Malaysia will compete for the top spot in the group and a semi-final berth. The second-place team could still be eliminated if their performance is not good enough.

According to Nhat Minh, the chances are even for the two teams. "My teammates and I went to the stadium to watch Malaysia play. As usual, they are strong and play at a good pace. Therefore, we must focus intensely when we face them in the next match," the defender stated.

Vietnamese players train at RBAC stadium, Bangkok, Thailand on the afternoon of 7/12, preparing for the match against Malaysia. Photo: Duc Dong

Vietnamese players train at RBAC stadium, Bangkok, Thailand on the afternoon of 7/12, preparing for the match against Malaysia. Photo: Duc Dong

With the current goal difference advantage (+3 compared to +1), Malaysia only needs a draw, while Vietnam must win to top the group. Therefore, in recent training sessions, coach Kim Sang-sik has frequently had players practice quick passing drills and diverse finishing techniques.

"We usually have good results against Malaysia in youth tournaments, so the entire team is very confident. But due to the disadvantage in goal difference, we are forced to win, so the whole team is meticulously practicing finishing skills. At the same time, we are also doing many drills to quickly build up play from the defense to score goals and defeat the opponent," Nhat Minh shared.

Duc Dong